When Pierer Industrie AG purchased Husqvarna from BMW in January, it was obvious some major changes were on their way. Pierer Industries AG is owned by Stefan Pierer, who happens to be chief executive officer of KTM, which also happens to be the parent company of Husaberg. That’s three European motorcycle manufacturers with strong off-road lineages in the same family. Something was bound to happen.

Well the other shoe has finally dropped, with the announcement of Husqvarna and Husaberg reuniting to forming a new company to be called Husqvarna Sportmotorcycle GmbH, with . The move reunites the two Swedish marques after years under the ownership of other companies in Italy, Austria and Germany.

Husqvarna and Husaberg have a shared history. Husaberg originated as a splinter group of Husqvarna engineers that started its own company in 1988 after Husqvarna was acquired by Cagiva. From that point on, the two Swedish brands went their separate paths. Continue Reading »

KTM has revealed its European-spec 2014 EXC enduro and SX motocross lineup. The U.S.-spec versions have yet to be announced and there will be some differences, such as a five-speed transmission instead of a four-speed transmission for the KTM 450 SX-F. Otherwise, the U.S. models will be mostly the same, though model and engine displacement selection may vary.

All 2014 EXC models receive new airbox covers, hand guards, headlights, fuel tanks and front fenders. The new fender received particular attention, with a new shape that reduces mud build-up. According to KTM, the new shape combined with the modified attachment to the lower triple clamp make the fender 50% stiffer than the previous component.

The SX models also get the new fender as well as the new fuel tanks. The four-stroke SX-F models also get the same fuel pump system as the EXC models, so owners can install the larger EXC fuel tanks from the KTM’s PowerParts catalog. Continue Reading »

BMW pulled the covers off the latest iteration of its popular R1200GS, revealing a number of updates including a new boxer engine at the 2012 Intermot show in Cologne, Germany. The German manufacturer has sold 170,000 units of the R1200GS since it was introduced in 2004, making it the world’s top-selling adventure-tourer, so BMW obviously has a lot riding on the new 2013 model.

The biggest change for the 2013 BMW R1200GS is its new 1170cc engine. The engine still uses a combination of air and liquid cooling but instead of coolant oil, it uses a glycol-water mixture BMW claims offers a high level of heat absorption capacity. Using a principle similar to one used in Formula 1 called “precision cooling”, only the elements of the engine being particularly strained by thermal stress are targeted by the coolant system.

The result is a boost in performance with BMW claiming an output of 123 hp at 7700 rpm and  92 ft-lb. at 6500 rpm, both up from the previous model’s claim of 110 hp and 89 ft-lb. Continue Reading »

Husqvarna recently marking its fifth consecutive month of sales increases in May, and the company hopes to continue that momentum with the announcement of its 2013 off-road model lineup.

The BMW-owned manufacturer is starting to churn out new product after a period of reductions since being  acquired by the German company. As of May, Husqvarna had sold 4,420 motorcycles in 2012, up 43.5% from 2011.

Last year, Husqvarna  signaled the start of its turnaround by re-entering the streetbike market with its Nuda 900 and Nuda 900R. Despite the introduction of the two new street-oriented models, Husqvarna’s focus remains its off-road motorcycles.

For 2013, updated a number of models including its Enduro World Championship-winning TE250 and TE310, both of which receive an “R” designation to its model name. Continue Reading »

Reigning World Enduro Champion Mika Aloha has succumbed to injuries suffered in a crash while training. He was 37.

The Finnish racer passed away from internal injuries on Jan. 16 in a hospital in Barcelona, Spain, days after the accident.

Aloha has captured five WEC titles, winning the E2 class title in 2007 and 2010, the E1 title in 2008 and 2009. In October 2011, Aloha captured his first E3 class title for his fifth world championship in as many years. Aloha is also the first rider to win the world championship in the three categories.

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KTM has revealed a new lightweight entry-level off-road model with a claimed weight of just 99 kg (218 pounds).

Set to debut at the upcoming EICMA show in Milan, Italy, the 2012 KTM Freeride 350 was created as an introductory model for off-road enduro riding. The Freeride 350 offers an easier entry point to off-road riding than the company’s competition-based EXC line.

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TXC Cross Country Models

The TXC310 (pictured above) is the newest member of Husqvarna‘s cross country model line, joining the TXC250 and TXC510. Developed specifically for the U.S. market, the TXC line is based on Husqvarna’s TE platform.

The 2012 Husqvarna TXC310′s engine is based on the TXC250 fuel-injected four-stroke engine power plant but enlarged to 302cc. The TXC310 replaces the TXC449 as Husqvarna’s intermediate cross country model.

Both the 250 and 310 also get  new Leo Vince exhausts with revised ignition timing and updated fuel injection system.

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Three-time World Enduro Champion David Knight has been named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth.

The 2005, 2006 and 2010 WEC Champion, Knight receives one of Great Britain’s most prestigious honors.

Knight joins TTXGP founder Azhar Hussain in receiving MBE honors by the Queen on June 11, a British holiday ceremonially marking her birthday.

Related Reading
TTXGP Founder Azhar Hussain Receives MBE Honor from the Queen

[Source: David Knight’s official website]

KTM and subsidiary Husaberg have initiated a recall campaign for certain 2010 and 2011 models due to a problem with their handlebar clamps.

The recall campaign includes the 2011 KTM 450 EXC, KTM 530 EXC, Husaberg FE 570S, Husaberg FS 570 and the 2010-2011 KTM 690 Enduro R. The recall affects 1,228 units.

The handlebar clamps on the affected may develop cracks potentially allowing the handlebars to shift during use. According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the problem was caused by the heat treatment process used by a part supplier.

The issue was first reported in December 2010. A technical bulletin was issued later that month with a remedy. After the problem was reported again in March 2011 by a customer, KTM issued a revised technical bulletin to include more models.

KTM and Husaberg dealers will replace the defective handlebar clamps with new components milled from billet material and reinforced to prevent cracking.

[Source: NHTSA, photos by Mitterbauer H.]

We wrote about the KTM Freeride yesterday on Motorcycle.com and now the Austrian manufacturer has released new photographs of the electric motorcycle prototypes, including pictures from the official unveiling at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show. They are available in our Motorcycle.com gallery. KTM has also released a video of the Freeride in action. Look for it after the jump.

Scheduled to arrive in Europe by late spring 2011 as a street-legal enduro, the KTM Freeride will be the first electric motorcycle produced by a major manufacturer. KTM showed an off-road and a supermoto version of the Freeride in Tokyo to demonstrate future applications of its patented battery drive unit.

The battery produces enough juice for an hour of off-road riding and can be recharged in 90 minutes. Performance-wise, KTM says the Freeride is comparable to a 125cc two-stroke gasoline-powered motorcycle.

For more pictures, check our our gallery.

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